More than 5,000 soldiers are packing up equipment at Camp Bastion in the final months of the Afghan campaign.

Commanders ordered the SAS mission over fears the Taliban are preparing to mount an offensive next month – dubbed the “shooting season” – as they have done every year since 2006.

A new unmanned aerial unit has been created and the SAS soldiers – motto “Who Dares Wins” – have been issued with tiny planes and ­helicopters fitted with cameras.

Specialists from Royal Marine and Royal Artillery air defence units who have spent months training in the California desert to hone their skills on the new equipment have been attached to the special forces patrols.

Some of the drones are launched from base while smaller, hand-held examples are carried in a backpack and launched by a specialist.

A senior source revealed that since the hi-tech kit was introduced it has made a significant impact, with special forces being able to call in air power to deal with any threats.